Preparing
San Bernardino County
San
Bernardino County Department of Public Works hosted a meeting with state and federal
environmental resource agencies, in October 2015.
The San
Bernardino County Departments met to discuss El Niño and the impacts of the
predicted storms on the County. There was a consensus that the widely forecast
El Niño is real and that a proactive approach to prepare a number of key flood
control facilities is in the best interest of the public.
San
Bernardino County Department of Public Works outlined an aggressive schedule to
perform the minimum maintenance work necessary to ensure that the key
facilities are operating with enough capacity to deal with the El Niño storms
that are forecast for this winter. The scope of work selected for each flood
control facility were reduced as much as possible to protect the sensitive
species and habitat often found in flood control facilities while still
providing flood protection to the adjacent communities.
The resource agencies agreed to collaborate with
Public Works on its approach that treats the El Niño forecast as an emergency
that requires immediate response. The meeting was an excellent example of how
government agencies with different missions and goals can rally together for
the common good of the public they serve.
“The cooperation from
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Fish and Wildlife,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Regional Water Quality
Control Boards has been amazing,” said Gerry Newcombe, Director of Public Works.
DPW
immediately submitted expedited environmental permit applications and began its
storm preparation maintenance activities. Work in more than half of the 37 critical
flood control channels/basins has been completed and, weather permitting, DPW
expects to finish the majority of these flood preparation activities by the end
of December 2015.
For
further information please contact Public Works at 909-387-8063.